Frankie Muniz Becoming Full-Time NASCAR Race Car Driver

Frankie Muniz is racing towards a new career…

The 37-year-old half-Puerto Rican Emmy- and Golden Globe-nominated actor has announced plans to compete as a full-time racecar driver in the ARCA Menards Series.

Frankie MunizThe series is a low-level feeder series for NASCAR — one that typically features less-experienced drivers — and will serve as a starting point for the former Malcolm in the Middle and Agent Cody Banks actor’s stock-car career.

Muniz got behind the wheel of the No. 30 Ford for Rette Jones Racing during a test session last Friday at Daytona International Speedway.

“I wanted this my entire life,” he said.

His first of 20 scheduled races in 2023 will come at Daytona on February 18.

“I want to prove to people that like I’m here to take it seriously,” Muniz said during a half-hour Zoom with reporters. “I’m not just here for a fluke. I’m not just here for publicity. I wanted this my entire life, you know what I mean?

“I’m mad I waited 12 years after my last racing experience to get here. I want people to look at me and see me on track and go, ‘Wow, he belongs,’ and I’m ready to prove to everyone that I do. Hopefully I do.”

A longtime racing enthusiast, Muniz drove the pace car for the 2001 Daytona 500 — a race in which seven-time Cup Series champion Dale Earnhardt died in a wreck on the final lap. Coincidentally, the chassis of the car Muniz is scheduled to drive at Daytona in the ARCA season opener was driven by Sterling Marlin that fateful day more than two decades ago.

Muniz said Earnhardt signed his jacket before the race and even told him how much he loved Malcolm in the Middle.’

“He said, ‘Your show has brought me and my daughter so much closer together. I love your show,”’ Muniz recalled. “And it was like insane to me that Dale Earnhardt is telling me that.”

Muniz said he first started thinking about becoming a professional driver in 2004 after competing in the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race in Long Beach, California. He’s also raced in Formula BMW events as well as the Champ Car Atlantic Series.

His last full-time season came in 2009. He said he broke his back, broke an ankle and had a pin inserted into his hand following a crash. He has raced sporadically since.

“I just took longer to heal than I thought,” Muniz said. “Not that you have to essentially start over, but I missed an entire season and I got an opportunity to be in a band. I know that sounds crazy. I was touring the world playing drums, so a lot of things just kind of took over my life and I dove in 100%.

“I’ve always thought in the back of my mind I was going to go back racing. As the years have gone on, it felt further and further away. So when I had my son 19 months ago, it honestly made me go, ‘What am I? Who am I? Who do I want to be to my son or what I want him to see me doing?”’

He expects plenty of Malcolm in the Middle‘ jokes during races, so much so that he’s considering making T-shirts to sell at events.

“I’m going to capitalize on that before someone else does,” he said.

Pitbull Becomes Part Owner of New NASCAR Team Trackhouse Racing

Pitbull is dealing with a new type of track

New NASCAR team Trackhouse Racing has brought on the 40-year-old Cuban American rapper/singer, known also as Mr. Worldwide, as an ownership partner for the organization, which will make its debut next month at the Daytona 500.

Pitbull

Trackhouse made the announcement with a video on Twitter in which the Grammy winner is featured dancing to an “I believe we will win” chant. He also holds signs that say: “Knuckle Up,” “Fight Hard” and “Buckle Up.”

Pitbull joins NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan as celebrity owners entering NASCAR this year. Jordan is a part owner of 23XI Racing with Denny Hamlin.

“I’ve been a fan of the NASCAR story since the movie Days of Thunder,” Pitbull said in a statement. “We are going to show the world NASCAR is not only a sport but a culture.”

Trackhouse was launched late last year by former driver Justin Marks, who struggled to find a charter that guarantees entry into every Cup Series race on the schedule. He ultimately leased one from Spire Motorsports to get his organization on the grid.

The team has hired Mexican driver Daniel Suarez for the No. 99 Chevrolet, but it will not be NASCAR’s first pairing of a Latino driver and team owner. Juan Pablo Montoya, a Colombian, drove for Chip Ganassi Racing when it was part owned by Felix Sabates, a Cuban.

Aric Almirola to Replace Danica Patrick in Stewart-Haas Racing’s No. 10 Car Next Season

Aric Almirola has found his 10…

The 33-year-old Cuban American stock car race driver, nicknamed “The Cuban Missile,” will replace Danica Patrick in the Stewart-Haas Racing No. 10 car next season, and new SHR sponsor Smithfield also has agreed to continue a relationship with Richard Petty Motorsports, sources to ESPN.

Aric Almirola

Last week Almirola said he was still working out his 2018 plans, and SHR has announced that it would hold a news conference Wednesday morning to introduce the driver of its Smithfield-sponsored No. 10 car.

Smithfield, which has sponsored Almirola for the past six seasons at RPM, announced in September that it would move to SHR in 2018 but didn’t announce a driver. At the time, Almirola wouldn’t say what his 2018 plans were but just that he would not return to the Petty team.

Smithfield has recently agreed to an ongoing collaboration with RPM next season as it transitions to SHR, according to a source. RPM and Smithfield executives exchanged harsh words after that announcement, with Richard Petty saying the team had a handshake deal with the sponsor. Teams often put clauses in sponsor contracts that can make it difficult for a sponsor and a driver to leave together, which industry sources said was the hold-up for SHR to announce the hiring of Almirola.

Almirola has one career victory — the July 2014 race at Daytona — in 241 Cup starts. He was 20th in the Cup standings when he broke his back in a crash in Kansas in May for which he required the help from an expert like the trucking accidents attorney in lafayette. He also has three victories in the Xfinity Series and two in the Camping World Truck Series.

SHR still has to announce a driver for its No. 41 car, currently driven by Kurt Busch and sponsored by team owner Gene Haas and Monster Energy. SHR didn’t pick up Busch’s option as it awaits a decision from Monster Energy, but Haas has said he fully expects Busch to return, and Busch has said remaining at SHR is possible.

Sanchez to Present at the Radio Disney Music Awards

Jessica Sanchez has a date with Radio Disney

The 17-year-old half-Mexican American singer, who will be appearing on Fox’s Glee next month, will serve as a presenter at this year’s Radio Disney Music Awards.

Jessica Sanchez

The American Idol runner-up, who recently released the first single from her debut album, will make her appearance on the awards show being held on April 27 at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live.

But Sanchez isn’t the only Latina set to present an award…

Selena Gomez, who performed her new single “Come and Get It” at this weekend’s MTV Movie Awards, will serve as a presenter and performer at the Radio Disney Music Awards. Gomez is also a two-time nominee.

Other presenters include Bella Thorne, Bridgit Mendler, Denise Richards, R&B singer Jason Derulo, NASCAR Daytona 500 champion Trevor Bayne and Zendaya.

Along with Gomez, Cher Lloyd, Mendler, Cody Simpson, Mindless Behavior, Austin Mahone and Coco Jones are also scheduled to perform.